Job summaryAn exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Orthopaedic Pre-Operative Assessment Team. We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, and dynamic individual who is passionate about delivering high-quality patient care. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring patients are optimised and medically fit for their elective orthopaedic surgery, supporting them throughout their pre-operative journey.
This is a highly collaborative role, requiring excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You will work closely with orthopaedic consultants, anaesthetic colleagues, operational teams, and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure patients receive safe, effective, and timely care.
You will need to be adaptable, proactive, and open to new ways of working. As our service continues to evolve, you will have the opportunity to contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives, helping us deliver the highest standards of pre-operative assessment.
All pre-operative assessments are undertaken in line with GIRFT guidance, ensuring evidence-based, high-quality care and supporting the best possible surgical outcomes for our patients.
Many of our patients undergo their procedures at the Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre in Colchester, one of the largest elective orthopaedic theatre complexes in Europe. This provides an exciting opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking service delivering excellence in elective orthopaedic care.
Main duties of the job- Using advanced assessment skills, identify patients with potential intraoperative and/or anaesthetic risk and refer or take appropriate action to ensure safe patient journey.
- Work with other health care professionals both in primary and secondary care to optimise patient health care needs preoperatively.
- Use a range of health promotion policies to prepare patients for their admission and reduce their operative risk.
- Plan and implement pathways of care, to ensure a seamless elective Orthopaedic patient admission.
- Work within the framework for Clinical Governance to provide effective, high quality individualised nursing care to patients and relatives/carers and to contribute to the continuing development of nursing practice.
- Work within the Trust's Competency Framework for Registered Nurses, the department philosophy and the NMC Code/Professional Standards for the Protection of Patients.
About usWe are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.
We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff
We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients
We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you
Find out about living and working in the area.
Date posted: 15 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 432-HR541-26
Job locations: Colchester Hospital, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom
Person specificationQualificationsEssential- NMC Registered Nurse Adult Branch
- Completed/willing to undertake preoperative assessment training
Desirable- Relevant teaching/assessing and mentoring qualification
- Physical examination module
ExperienceEssential- Current or recent experience of working in a range of acute medical or surgical areas.
- Able to demonstrate experience of identifying and delivering good quality care
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable- Knowledge of preoperative assessment processes
- Previous experience in pre-operative assessment/ theatre/recovery area
KnowledgeEssential- Demonstrable knowledge of current issues in health care and nursing
- Knowledge of (or willingness to actively learn about) a wide range of surgical procedures
- Understanding and ability to apply clinical governance principles into practice
Desirable- Ability to effectively disseminate knowledge to others
- Knowledge of appropriate IT systems used in the surgical pathway
- Has knowledge Of Orthopaedic Pathways and Procedures
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Contact detailsHead of care – Elective Orthopaedic Centre: Lyndsey Girling, Lyndsey.Girling@esneft.nhs.uk
